Author and Screenwriter Richard Matheson Dead at 87

Posted on June 26, 2013

Bestselling author Richard Matheson has died at the age of 87 after a lengthy illness, according to Yahoo. Matheson published more than 100 short stories as well as 28 novels and numerous screenplays. Many of his stories were adapted into films. A short he wrote for The Twilight Zone became the film Reel Steel starring Hugh Jackman. Other stories he wrote became the basis for the films I Am Legend starring Will Smith, Somewhere In Time starring Christopher Reeve and Jayne Seymour and The Incredible Shrinking Man.

Matheson met a young Steven Spielberg when his short story "Duel" was directed by Spielberg in 1971. The made for TV movie was later released in theaters and the two became friends and collaborators. Spielberg issued a statement about Matheson saying, "Richard Matheson's ironic and iconic imagination created seminal science-fiction stories and gave me my first break when he wrote the short story and screenplay for 'Duel.' His 'Twilight Zone' [episodes] were among my favorites and he recently worked with us on 'Real Steel.' For me, he is in the same category as [Ray] Bradbury and [Isaac] Asimov."

Matheson wrote for many popular television shows, as well as films. He also loved being a novelist and was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame in 2010. His most recent book, Generations, was published last year. It is a fictionalized account of Matheson's early family life.